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April 2008 - Posts
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Evidence from a large sample of blind tastings indicates that individuals who are unaware of the price do not derive more enjoyment from more expensive wines and that both the prices of wines and wine recommendations by experts may be poor guides for non-expert wine consumers, reports Subhash Arora
 In a study conducted by Robin Goldstein, Johan Almenberg, Anna Dreber, Alexis Herschkowitsch, and Jacob Katz a sample of more than 6,000 blind tastings was taken. The results were part of the Working Paper read out on April 16 at the annual meeting of American Association of Wine Economists at Portland.
Individuals who are unaware of the price do not derive more enjoyment from more expensive wine. In a sample of 6,175 blind tastings, authors found that the correlation between price and overall rating was small and negative, suggesting that individuals on average enjoy more expensive wines slightly less.
For individuals with wine training, however, they find indications of a positive, or at any rate non-negative, correlation. The results indicate that both the prices of wines and wine recommendations by experts may be poor guides for non-expert wine consumers.
In terms of a 100 point scale (used by Robert Parker and Wine Spectator), the extended model further predicts that for a wine that costs ten times more than another wine, non- experts will on average assign an overall rating that is about four points lower, whereas experts will assign an overall rating that is about seven points higher.
The data set contains 6,175 observations from 17 blind tastings organized by wine critic, Robin Goldstein, which took place in the US between April 2007 and February 2008. A total of 506 participants tasted wine flights composed from 523 different wines. The wines were presented in a double-blind manner, so that neither the person serving the wine nor the person tasting the wine knew the identity or price of the wine.
The results indicate another reason why the average wine drinker may not benefit from expert wine ratings: he or she simply doesn't like the same types of wines as experts. This is consistent with earlier studies by Weil in 2001and 2005, where he found that even among the subset of tasters who can distinguish between good and bad vintages, or reserve or regular bottlings, they are as likely to prefer the "better" one as "worse"
These findings raise an interesting question: Is the difference between the ratings of experts and non-experts due to an acquired taste or due to an innate ability, which is correlated with self-selection into wine training? Investigating this further would be a fruitful avenue for future research, says the report.
In sum, in a large sample of blind tastings, 'we find that the correlation between price and overall rating is small and negative. Unless they are experts, individuals on average enjoy more expensive wines slightly less. The results suggest that both price tags and expert recommendations may be poor guides for non-expert wine consumers who care about the intrinsic qualities of the wine,' conclude the authors.
The study is relevant for the wine importers and consumers in India. Still in the nascent stage, most consumers fall in the former category. Going by the results of the study, the cheaper wines would be a better value, at least for the next few years. As our palates improve and we move to the second category, the taxes may also come down making higher priced wines cheaper and more affordable.
Subhash Arora
Courtesy: http://www.indianwineacademy.com
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 Well, we all know that the popularity of wine is growing rapidly in India though it has not indicated a significant increase in its consumption figure. But it has resulted in a lot of confusion among the beginners who are just learning about the varieties of wine, how to appreciate them and which region produces good wines etc.
The so called ‘experts’ are trained abroad and know a lot about the foreign wines. So, we really do not have experts who can tell us much about our own Indian wines, even if we have some good wines being produced in the domestic front, which are available at affordable prices in the market.
So, the only solution lies in experimenting on our own but after acquiring some basic knowledge about drinking wine.
Let’s start with the basic notion of drinking red wine without storing it in the fridge. The red wine has to be served at room temperature, which in Europe would many degrees lower then the room temperature in India, however it should always be a little chilled red wine.
Wine, in comparison to other spirits is always a great companion while partying with friends. So, may be a wine tasting session with friends could be of great fun.
So, how do you buy a bottle of wine!
In India, liquor being a state subject has varied prices as per taxes and its availability also widely varies from state to state. Same goes with the wine prices. However, due to the increasing pressure the government is considering several proposals to bring down the prices too. Many shops in Mumbai, price their wine cheaper than the printed price. In case, you find wine bottles at a good deal, it is better to buy few bottles and store them in storage racks, temperature-controlled wine cabinets away from the direct sunlight.
Winemakers have traditionally used corks because they closed effectively, while allowing just enough of the oxygen through for the wine to develop in the bottle. But most wines in the market today are meant to be drunk now, and not to be kept, so there’s less reason to use cork – and positive reasons not to, given the way cork can sometimes go bad and taint the wine’s taste. This is why more manufacturers are moving towards high tech (and expensive) screwcaps, but paradoxically, consumers are so used to corks they think these are inferior. Some Indian manufacturers, like Sula and Grovers, are pushing screwcaps, so don’t disdain them, but invest in a good corkscrew for those still using corks.
Sipping Notes:
White wine and roses should be drunk chilled.
Red wine can be slightly chilled, but what really helps, especially with most Indian reds, is opening them for a while before drinking. Take a sip when you open and then an hour later, and you’ll taste the difference. Oxygen softens the often harsh tannins in red wines, making them mellower and easier on the mouth. This is also why one swirls red wine in the glass, to let the air open it up.
Courtesy: http://www.ambrosiaindia.com
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